His Lioness
by Their Inner Thoughts
Summary: A young girl, forced to hunt the African plains with her father, discovers she possesses the power to understand animals. Can she earn Ahadi's trust and live in harmony with the animals of Africa, or will she jeopardize animal kind? Will she choose to stay with the lion tribe of Pride Rock? What sacrifices must she make? And why is Scar possessive of her? T. PLEASE READ CH 5!
1. Prologue: Child of Man

I do not own Disney's _The Lion King_ or any of the characters therein. Roxanne and any other names you do not recognize are my creations, as is the plot. Thanks :)

 ** _Prologue: Child of Man_**

Shards of glass tore through the grey blanket covering the African plains below, burying themselves in the green and brown bed of earth. Thunder rolled down the invisible hills, echoing into the variety of chasms bordering the continent; the lightning lit up the darkened sky with electricity, the fear of the gods entering the beings of the inhabitants of the land below. The ground was drenched in the late evening storm, the watering holes filled to their capacity and overflowing into the land surrounding, the crocodiles exploring the new, if but temporary, territory that had been granted to them. All animals, whether of land or sky, sought shelter from the deluge in the dark caves and dense forests and tall trees; gathering their young and waiting.

It was during this interruption to a normal sunny and warm African evening that a young girl was accompanying her father while he drove through the plains; however, it was no safari they were going on, but a hunting trip. She did not want to go, but when her father commanded that she come with him, there was no arguing with him. The young girl did not want to see her father kill any animal, and she would voice her opinion if she wouldn't get reprimanded for it either then or later, and that was almost worse than watching her father shoot an animal. As their truck moved quickly through the rain-drenched land, she wished she could run away from the violence of innocent animals; wished that something would happen to stop her father from causing disruption in the animal kingdom.

Suddenly the car lurched to a stop and her father's gruff voice broke through the girl's thoughts, "Anne, what are you doing looking around? I thought I told you to have the rifle and nets ready before we got here?" The man jumped out of the car and into the pouring rain, opening the trunk and retrieving a large metal box.

The girl followed him, tugging at his jacket when he loaded the rifle. "Father, please don't hurt these animals. They are helpless and innocent. We are intruding their land and are murdering them."

"Murdering?" Her father scoffed, "What do you know about murder, hm? Roxanne, they are animals. They don't have brains. They live off instinct and their instinct tells them to kill, eat, and sleep." He finished loading the rifle and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "They don't know anything else." He turned his head to look at a bunch of bushes a few yards away. "There's some now. Anne, go get the net and knives."

Roxanne stood firm in her place. "I'm not going to, Father. It's wrong to kill them."

The man turned back to her, anger flaring in his eyes. "What did you say? Are you disobeying me?" He smirked evilly and again faced the direction of the bushes. "You can't stop me from killing them, Anne."

Her heart raced as her father raised the rifled and she hurried to distract him from the helpless animals taking shelter from the deluge. Grabbing the nearest item, she threw it at the back of her father's head; it was a wooden tent stake. Fear struck her as he cursed loudly and whipped around to face her, his hands clutching his rifle.

Before he had the chance to speak, a loud rustling came from behind the bushes, earning the attention of the man and girl. A great lion jumped in front of the bushes and charged towards Roxanne's father, while the man aimed his rifle at the animal's heart.

"Father, no!" Roxanne screamed as she grabbed his arm, causing his bullet to veer to the left. She scratched at his arm, keeping him from reloading, but she lost her hold on him and fell to the muddy ground.

"You worthless, good-for-nothing child!" Her father screamed at her. With the butt of the rifle aimed towards her, Roxanne looked into the eyes of her crazed father, understanding the situation she was now in. her father struck her once on the head, causing her to lay motionless before him, but before he could strike her again, the lion that was charging towards them leapt upon her father and batted the rifle out of his hand.

Through her bleary eyes, Roxanne watched as the lion tore at her father's legs, causing him to fall to the ground, screaming profanities as the great lion continued to bite and tear at his arms and chest. Within a few minutes, the lion removed himself from the man's body, nudging it once to ensure he was dead, before slowly walking over to the girl.

Roxanne's head was bleeding from the blow her father ave her, and her eyes were swollen and wet from the many tears she shed. As the lion approached her, she shivered and whimpered, her head pounding due to her wound. "Please," she whispered, "Please don't hurt me." Her eyes closed as the lion drew ever close, her heart and head hammering as tribal drums; but before she succumbed to darkness, she swore she heard a reply.

"I swear on my life, I will not harm you, Child of Man."


	2. Chapter 1: Pure Heart

**_Chapter One: Pure Heart_**

When Roxanne awoke, the first thing she realised was how dark her surroundings were. There was barely any light entering wherever it was she lay, and she began to whimper at the thought of being in a dark place. Her soft cries caused something in the near distance to stir, a large four-legged figure to stand and slowly walk towards her.

Before the child could react, the face of a great lion appeared before her, his legs tucked beneath his body so he was crouched to her level. His large brown eyes studied her frightened form, his eyebrows scrunching up as he read fear in her blue eyes. The lion moved back from the child and sat on his haunches, a kind face watching her from above. "You needn't be afraid, Child of Man," his soft voice echoed off the walls. "I did not bring you here to harm you."

Roxanne sat up, now aware of the wound upon her forehead and rubbed her ears, thinking to herself that she was going crazy. _Animals can't talk_ , she thought. _Can they?_ Though it was hard for her to believe, the only way to truly prove if animals could talk Roxanne would have to ask it a question. "Um, m-mister lion, w-where am I?"

The lion looked kindly at the girl, as if understanding her. But that was impossible! Animals couldn't understand humans. Could they? Roxanne waited with baited breath for some reaction from the lion, her heart pounding as the seconds passed.

"I have taken you to a den, Child of Man," the lion replied softly. "It is one I use when hunting, to escape the rain."

The girl released a shaky breath, not believing what she just heard. Had the lion just spoken to her? With actual words? "How are you doing that?"

The great animal slightly cocked his head to the right, "Talking?"

Roxanne slowly nodded her head.

"All animals can talk, Child of Man. The question is: How are _you_ able to understand _me_?"

The girl opened her mouth to reply but closed it in thought. "When I was young—well, younger than I am now, my grandmother told me stories about a time when Animal kind and Mankind could communicate with each other." She looked at the lion with cautious eyes as she continued. "But, when technology improved, Mankind took advantage of their ability to speak with Animal kind and used it for their violent gain."

The lion nodded his head solemnly, "And, in revenge, Animal kind attacked Mankind, ripping from them the ability to speak with and understand us. That skill was lost to them unless they were a Pureheart." He took a step closer to Roxanne and bent his head to look fully in her eyes. "When you stood up to your father to protect me, and allowed yourself to be injured in my stead, the Kings of Old alerted me that you, Child of Man, are one of the Purehearts."

"But they were said to have been destroyed, lost to the world many ages ago," the girl replied quietly. "How can I be one of them? You saw the way my father acted towards you; the actions he would have taken."

"See there, young Child of Man," the lion breathed, "that is the key. What your father _could_ have done, not did. _You_ were the reason he did not end my life. You, by your selfless act, allowed my life to be spared, without knowing the effect of those actions." He smiled, if a lion could do such a thing; his eyes softening as he dipped his head to the girl. "Sleep now, Child of Man, for tomorrow we have a long journey."

Roxanne nodded slowly and laid down on the cave ground, mimicking the lion's actions. "Mister lion, where _are_ we going tomorrow?"

"To Pride Rock, Child of Man," the lion yawned, "the heart of all animal kingdom."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Roxanne slowly awoke from her dream, lightly rubbing the sleep from her tired eyes and stretching her limbs as she prepared to leave her room and retell her crazy dream to her father. Yet, as the sun's rays entered the cave and illuminated the stone walls, the girl realised that the experience she had the night before, was indeed, real. The fact that a great lion lay stretched out by the cave's entrance only enhanced that realisation. She decided to sit quietly and observe the lion until he awoke.

The girl was up no longer than ten minutes before the great lion exhaled deeply, a sign that he was waking up. As he shook the sleep from his mind, Roxanne noted the way his mane swished about his head and neck, the deep brown appearing as a chocolate feather boa. She continued to sit silently as she observed him, her eyes never leaving his strong figure.

"You have awoken," the lion grunted as his stretched his hind legs. "That is good. We are travelling to Pride Rock after we nourish ourselves." He casually padded up the girl, his muscles clearly visible as he sat as a sphinx before her. "You will have to climb upon my back, Child of Man. For I fear the distance is too far for you to run."

"You want me to ride on your back?" Her eyes grew large with fear as she curled herself closer to the wall of the cave. "I am too frightened, mister lion."

An exasperated sigh brought warm breath to tickle the girl's face. "Child of Man, there is nothing to fear. I have expressed once before that I mean you no harm; and you must come with me to Pride Rock. The journey will take two long days traversing across the desert if we merely walk. And there are less places for coverage out in the open."

Her heart hammering hard within her, Roxanne slowly nodded, her eyes still large as she sat upon the great lion's back. When he stood, she clutched onto his fur in fear that he might drop her, earning a sharp intake of breath from the animal. "Oh," her soft voice uttered, her clammy hands softening their hold. "I did not mean to pain you, mister lion."

"It is alright, Child of Man," the lion chuckled. "And you may call me Baquetis," he concluded, bounding from the cave.

"Thank you, Baquetis. I am Roxanne," the child responded, lightly petting the great animal.


	3. Chapter 2: Shelter

**_Chapter Two: Shelter_**

As Baquetis had claimed, the distance to Pride Rock was far, and more than once they stopped to rest and renew their strength before continuing on their journey.

It was both thrilling and terrifying for Roxanne, as she clutched the great lion's mane, watching the many landscapes pass her eyes. She had always wanted to be within wild animals' habitat and observe them living their own lives, but now that she was riding upon one's back and was nearing the heart of all animal kind, her desire was diminishing. Perhaps it was the many terrible deeds her father had committed against animal kind, or the knowledge that animals could smell the death lingering upon her person, that Roxanne feared the most. How could she, a mere Child of Man, convince whatever it was she was approaching that she meant them no harm. Yet, she remembered her conversation late the night before with Baquetis, and his explanation as to why she could understand him and he her. She was a Pureheart, a rare human that could communicate with animals. This bit of knowledge gave Roxanne the comfort and courage she needed to face whatever lie ahead of her.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Evening came far too quickly for Roxanne's liking, as it appeared they had travelled only a short distance. She was stuck between complaining about this and wanting to rest for the night, her eleven-year-old mind jumping from one thought to the other until the decision was made by the lion which she sat upon. It was silly, she reminded herself, to make decisions regarding a place she had only read about. Baquetis was far more knowledgeable on how long it took to travel from one place to the next, especially since _this_ was his home.

The child slowly climbed off Baquetis' back and stretched her tired and cramped limbs. The last time she had stood on solid ground was nearly three hours earlier, but it felt to her like a small lifetime. Roxanne never knew how tiring it was to travel on the back of any animal, though she had only ever ridden a pony back home. She was grateful, though, when the lion led her to a hollow in a large Baobab tree, a shelter from the sun while he lay guard throughout the night.

Laden with weariness from the long journey, Roxanne made a pillow of her arms and curled up against the interior of the tree, rest finding her shortly thereafter. Despite the many happenings within these two short days, her dreams were not interrupted by troubling thoughts, and the child found peaceful rest within the safety and warmth of the Baobab tree; the earth around her body cradling her form as a newborn is by her mother.

Throughout the night, Baquetis would rouse himself from mid-sleep and check upon the child, ensuring her furless body would not suffer the chill of the African planes deep within the night. The young lion thought of the scolding he may receive from his parents when they arrived at Pride Rock, and the teasing of his younger sister, but it was the presence of the Kings of Old that set him upon this task to deliver the Child of Man, the Pureheart to safety. Though he questioned whether King Ahadi would truly allow her to stay within the pride, Baquetis laid his mind to rest each time his eyes fell upon the sleeping child.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

A strong cool breeze of morning air rushed through Baquetis' fur, causing his dew-laden fur to prickle the skin beneath. The lion stretched his forelegs and hindlegs, yawning wide as he blinked the sleep from his blue eyes. The sun had yet to rise to its full height in the sky and some distance was still to be covered before they would reach Pride Rock. Slowly, Baquetis approached the Baobab tree, peeking his head inside so as not to startle the child.

Roxanne still slept with her arms curled under her head, her messy hair falling into her face as a shield to protect her eyes from the outside wind. She did not register Baquetis' soft footfalls upon the ground, but her skin shivered as his paw gently nudged her arm. "Is it very late?" Her voice, still plagued with sleep, was quiet and muffled, as Roxanne brought her hands up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. It was only after she opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings that she realised her action was not the smartest, as the dirt from the ground now covered her face.

A deep chuckle emanated from the lion as he looked at the irritated child. "It is yet before sunrise, Roxanne. Do not concern yourself with your appearance."

"But I cannot look like this when I go to Pride Rock," she replied, crossing her arms in front of her. "I'm all dirty and smelly. Not a very nice way to meet the animals." A deep frown crossed her lips as she huffed in annoyance and a feeling near anger.

"There is a watering hole near Pride Rock. You may cleanse yourself there." Baquetis motioned for the girl to follow him out of the hollow. He took her several yards where the ground was littered with small holes, in which the human assumed lived small animals. "You must eat and here before us is one of many homes of meerkats. Many are old and too slow to run."

With widened eyes Roxanne rooted herself in her spot, the lion's words suddenly making sense to her. "You are going to kill them? Isn't there fruit or something nearby?" She knew it was silly to think there would be a fruit bearing tree in the African plains, but her young heart could not think of watching a lion kill another animal for her sake.

Apparently this thought also dwelled on Baquetis' mind, for he nodded slowly and went in the opposite direction, that towards the Baobab tree. "This tree bears a fruit that has many uses, though we lions hardly ever eat it. I have witnessed a few humans climb to the branches to retrieve it, though you may not have their strength."

In truth, the tree was nearly five meters in height and its trunk, though scattered with niches, was smooth, hardly a climbing tree. Just as Roxanne was beginning to think eating a meerkat may not be the worst idea, a slender grey mandrill with a broken and bent-looking tail appeared seemingly from nowhere.

"Fruit it is you seek, but deny yourself the taste you do." His bright yellow eyes added to the weirdness of his speech and caused Roxanne to laugh at his appearance. "Ah, a Man-child with a lion as a guide?"

Baquetis huffed through his nostrils, a sigh of annoyance leaving his locked jaw. "Rafiki, I should have known this was your tree."

"My tree it is not, young lion. Tree belongs to the Kings of Old. Rafiki is only its keeper." The mandrill smiled with his logic and jumped about, his staff of baobab seeds rattling in his hand. "Rafiki will give you fruit, Man-child, if you give me your name."

"My name?" Roxanne questioned curiously. "Why'd you want that mister Rafiki?" She was in awe that she could understand the animal and was equally as surprised when he did not show signs of wonderment at her ability to understand him.

"The Kings of Old have told me of your coming, child. Your mind and theirs are of one kind, without seam or stitch." He jumped again in excitement when he saw the glimmer of knowledge pass through Roxanne's eyes, a baboonish laugh escaping his large mouth.

"I'm Roxanne, a Pureheart, I guess." She wasn't sure she had to tell him _that_ , as it seemed he already knew quite a bit about her from these Kings of Old, whoever they were. As the child watched the mandrill nod erratically, she wondered what those Kings were like and how often they spoke and who they spoke to. It seemed that even animal kind had their own sense of the supernatural or things or beings higher than they.

"And so, your name suits you; the day has begun!" With another laugh, Rafiki clambered up the baobab tree and returned a few minutes later arms full of fruit. "Fruit to keep your strength and stomach full." He took a sack of some sort from around him and placed the fruit inside, fastening it around Roxanne's shoulder. "It will keep until you reach Pride Rock, where you will be given meat for more strength."

Before she could thank him, Rafiki again climbed the tree and disappeared from her sight. In a daze, Roxanne turned to the lion, upon whose face was a playful and annoyed smirk. "Um, Baquetis, is he okay?"

The lion turned his attention again to the girl and shook his head, his mane falling in his eyes. "Rafiki's the craziest baboon I've ever met. He's be appointed as a healer to the pride by the king, but he doesn't act any less bizarre." With another glance to the branches, Baquetis lowered himself to the ground. "We must keep moving. Dawn is already upon us, and the nights are not as safe as though further in the desert. I'll keep from moving so fast so that you may not eat."

And so, their journey again took flight, being halted only once for Roxanne to cleanse herself in a deserted watering hole some two miles from Pride Rock.

 **So, this is what I've been working on since the last time I updated. Please accept my long overdue apology for not updating sooner, or keeping in touch with my progress. I think, after having rewatched The Lion King, that I have a better idea of where I'm going with this, but if you have questions or concerns leave a review or PM me. Thanks!**


	4. NOTICE

Greetings all,

I am still continuing to work on the plot of this story via watching The Lion King and taking A LOT of notes on the characters and why I think Roxanne would be a good addition. Also, I've been trying to think of how to include parts of her backstory, which will, in turn, explain WHY she is so comfortable with the animals, as well as explain the whole Pureheart thing in Chapter One.

My job isn't so terribly demanding, which allows me to have all my nights and weekends free, so I plan (Fates willing) to write more, maybe a short flashback scene. If there are certain things you would like cleared up, or would like to know more about the jumbled mess in my head, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. I take criticism easily and love reading your own creative ideas.

Again, thank you for your amazing patience and your lovely reviews!


	5. Apology

Greetings all,

This is a formal apology for what I updated yesterday, mainly the "evil parent" cliche. I was not thinking about the whole of The Lion King when I wrote it, and have decided to change the course of that chapter.

It has been suggested that I, instead of killing Roxanne's father, knock him out and put him in a mental ward due to Baquetis talking to him. If this is acceptable to you readers, I will proceed in this new path. If not, please give me some direction.

Again, I apologise for any discomfort I may have provided due to that chapter, and will watch more carefully what I write.

Thank you for your honest reviews and concerns; they keep me real and grounded.


End file.
